November 26, 2001	Monday	Ramazan 10, 1422

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QUETTA, Nov 25: Former Afghan commanders and tribal elders, belonging to six Pakhtoon-populated provinces of Afghanistan, have decided to send a delegation with a massage for the Taliban to surrender and hand over power to the tribal elders peacefully.

This decision was taken at a tribal Jirga, held here on Sunday and largely attended by prominent tribal elders and former Afghan commanders.

A spokesman for the Jirga, Izzatullah Wasfi, later briefing newsmen at the Baloch Khan House, said the tribal elders and former Afghan commanders wanted a peaceful solution to the Kandahar issue and had decided that a delegation, comprising tribal elders, would be sent to Kandahar shortly for holding talks with the Taliban and their commanders.

“We do not want bloodshed and war any more as the people of Afghanistan have become fade up with this situation. They want peace”, Mr Wasfi said, adding that the delegation would press the Taliban for a peaceful transfer of power in Kandahar.

After surrender, the Taliban could live in Kandahar and their respective areas and tribal elders, who would take over Kandahar, would provide them with a safe passage, he said and observed that all the Taliban were not bad, but they had been forced to take guns in their hands against anti-Taliban forces.

When asked if the Taliban refused to accept their request, what action would be taken against them, he said the Jirga would decide its future course of action in view of any such reply from the Taliban.

Answering another question, he said the delegation would contact Taliban commanders and leadership for negotiation on the issue. “We are hopeful about the outcome of the proposed negotiations with the Taliban leadership.”

Mr Wasfi called for an interim government in Afghanistan under the leadership of former king Zahir Shah through Loya Jirga. He also called for efforts to set up a democratic set up in the country.

“We need US financial and logistic support for further advancement”, he said and added that he was not asking the US help and cooperation for purchasing Afghan tribal elders.